Textile apparatus



Dec. 5 1944. MELLOR ET AL 2,364,157

TEXTILE APPARATUS Filed June 18, 1942 Patented Dec. 5, 1944 Albert Mellor and Ralph James Mann, Spondon, near Derby, England, assignors to British Celanesev Limited, London, England, a company of Great Britain Application June 18,1942, Serial No. 447,506

In Great Britain July. 7, 1941 9 Claims.

This invention relates totextile apparatus and in particular to apparatus for-improving the properties of woven fabrics.

Many types of fabric in the grey state suffer from what is known as reediness, i. e. a grouping of the warp ends, and frequently the defect is not removed during finishing and the fabric gives an impression of openness and thinness and generally has an uneven appearance.

The apparatus according to the present invention enables this defectv to be removed, the apparatus comprising a pair of rollers forming a nip through which the fabric may be passed in.

open width, at least one of the rollers having a surface comprising resilient projections that are closely spaced along the length of the rollers and are distorted under pressure at the nip. When a fabric exhibiting reediness is passed through the nip, the fabric being suitably wetted, e. g. with soap solution of a concentration suitable to lubricate the yarns in the fabric, a slipping of warp over weft, which averages the distribution of the warp ends throughoutthe width of the fabric, is produced by distortion of the projections in a direction parallel to the length of the rollers. It is preferable that one of the rollers should have a plain surface; if not, the projections on the two rollers must register with one another and not intermesh, since if they intermesh the full benefit of the distortion of theprojections in a direcmay be arranged to provide for: the fabric to make a number of passes if necessary. Thus, the

rollers may be fitted with reverse gear so that the fabric may be passed first from one side and then from the other, or the fabric with its ends sewn together may be passed repeatedly through-the nip. In some cases, however, one passage through the machine may suffice. The .multi-rollerarrangement gives, in a single pass, the effect of several runs through the 2-bowl form. The openwidth treatment enables the fabric to be processed without any tendency towards creasing, as is the case with attempts to improve fabricsby milling inrope-form. it

The apparatus is suitable for the treatment of many types of fabric, for example plain. weave fabrics having a basis of artificial filaments or fibres. Some staple fibre fabrics, e. g. of cellulose acetate or .viscose fabricsor mixtures of these fibres, suffer badly from reediness and are much improved by treatment in the machine while in thegrey state. Again, certain jacquard tion parallel to the length of the rollers is not obtained.

The resilient projections may be provided by covering the roller or rollers with a sheet of porcupine rubber, but, in order to avoid the difficulties of effecting permanent attachment of such sheet material to the roller surface, the projections may be formed in a solid rubber roller, e. g. a rubber manglebowl. Thus, a thread may be cut in the rubber covering to give ribs 1% wide having A pitch. Under the pressure at the nip the ribs spread in the lengthwise direction of the roller;

In order that the necessary distortion may take place the rubber must be relatively soft. Thus, rubber having a hardness of 65 on the Short and Mason rubbermeter gives good results; the upper limit of resiliency is in the region of 90 on the same meter.

The apparatus according to the invention can be simply constructed on the lines of the usual 2-bowl mangle or may be adapted to provide a plurality of nips, e. g. by having a number of small rollers contacting with one large roller.

The 2-bowl form is very simple to operate and underwear crepe fabrics and .plain underwear crepe-de-chine are improved considerably. by treatment inthe machine. The machine may also be used to improve the handle of fabrics, as well as to even out inequalities in. the warp distribution. l

By way of example two forms of apparatus aecording to the invention will now be described Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic side elevation or a 2 l bowl mangle in accordance with the invention,

Fig. 2 isa front elevation of therollers shown in Fig. 1, i l

Fig. 3 shows a section at the surface of one o the rollers of Figs. 1 and 2, and, i l

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a multi-roller machine according to the invention.

Referring to Figs. land 2, the apparatus shown therein comprises two rollers I, 2, mounted on shafts 3 and 4 and forming a nip through which the fabric 5 is passed. Shaft 3 is mountedin a frame 6 and shaft dismounted in bearing blocks 1 carried in slots in the frame 6 and capable of being pressed downwards by means of handscrews 8. Each of the rollers I, 2, is surfaced even distribution of the warp threads.

inch and the grooves, as shown at 9 in Fig. 3,

The wetted fabric is then passed between rollers I, 2, the pressure between the rollers being adjusted by means of the hand-screws 8 so that, having regard to the thickness of the fabriqtheprojections I on the surface of the roller I are distorted and the V-shaped groovessubstanti'ally" closed up by the pressurebetween the rollers. According to the nature of the fabric and the degree of initial unevenness of the warp distribution, one pass of the fabric between the rollers? may or may not be suflicient to bringaboutan usual, more than one run is necessary, the fabric may be run alternately back and forth between the=r0llers until the desired degree ofevenness isobtained or until no furtherimprovement"is:

seen. i

In- Fig. 41s shown a more elaborate formiiof': apparatus in which the-fabric, indicated at I2 is passed between a large-plain rubber covered roller I3 and a series of smallgrooved rubber covered rollers I4 similar incharacter to the roller I; shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The rollers M are mo-unt- 1 ed on shafts I5 carried in bearing block I B'Which are slidable radially, with reference'to the roller.

I3'in slottedbrackets II. Springs I8 bear on the blocks I6 and are adjusted by means of hand:

wheels IQ-and .loqking nuts 20.

Carried on a plate 2| which i capable of slight.

rotation about the shaft 22 .of the roller I3 area series of earns 23, one for each roller I4, each cam being capable of engaging the end of a shaft I5 on'rotation of the plate2I. Rotationof the plate I2-is effected by means of-a handle 25'adapted to rotate. .a pinion 26-engaging with a few'gear teeth 21 ontthe ed e of the plate 2|. A-v similar arrangement is, of course, provided at thesother side'of the machine, and worked by; the same handler25a Rotation of the plate 2| by.

means of thehandle 25.0auses each cam. 23: to engage its shaft I5 and to lift the rollers I4 'from the surface oftheroller I3 in order that-the fabric may be threaded through the apparatus at.

the beginning of .theoperation.

The fabric I2 coming from a batch.(not shown) passes overa guiding and feeding roller 29, under thefirst of the rollers I4 and between that roller and eachof' the succeeding, rollers I4-and. the

roller I3. Leaving the last of the rollers I4 the fabric passesundera ,guide roller3ll, over two guide rollers 3I, 32,.andthencetoan oscillating,

arm '33 by means of which it is'folded into batch 34. The machine is driven from a motor 35, connected through aworm drive 36,- belt drive- 31,

gear box 38, belt drive 39 and gears 40 to the. shaft22of the roller I3. The'guideroller 29 is driven from a shaft'22 by means of a belt M, the 1 guide roller 32 is. driven from shaft 22 by a belt 42 and the batching army 33 is driven. fromthe shaft43'of theroller 32 by-meansof a belt 44,

crank 45 and connecting rod 46. By means of this. machine the-fabric may be submitted to repeated pressure in a single-pass, its action being equivae lent to that of several passes through the 2-bowl mangle shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

I-Iavingdescribed our invention what we de-' sire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Apparatusifor the-treatment ofwoven fab-- rics, said apparatus comprising a pair of rollers forming a nip through which the fabric may be passed in open width, at least one of the said rollers having a surface comprising resilient ridges closely spaced along the length of the roller and extending round the roller, said ridges beingof narrow width so'th'at 'they'pare distorted ina direction parallel to the length of said roller bythe pressure of the other roller acting directly through the fabric in said nip. 7

2: Apparatus for the treatment of woven fabrics, said apparatus comprising a single pair of rollr -forminganip through which the fabric may, be passed in open width, one of the said rollers having a :plain surface and the other having asurface'comprising resilient ridges closely spacedalonglthelength of the roller and extending round the roller, said ridges being of narrow width sothat they are distorted in a direction parallel to the length of said roller by the pressureof: the other; roller1 actin directly through the fabric in said nip.

3. Apparatus for the treatment of woven fabrics, said apparatus comprising a single pair of rollers forming a nip through which thet-fabrici may bezpassed in open'vvidth, one of the saidroll.-.-- ers having a plain. surface and the? other-having; a surface comprising resilient ridge ;v closely; spaced along the lengthof the roller and extend-w ing round the roller, said: ridges bein of narrow width so that theyare -.distor\ted.in awdireetion: parallel tothe length of said rollerby the pres: sure of the other roller; acting; directly through-, the fabric in said nip, wherein; the resilientrid es are formed in a surface of rubber havinga hard: ness of from -90 asmeasured on the Shortand. Mason rubber-meter.

4. Apparatus for thentreatmentof wovenfab rics, said apparatus comprising. a single pair-ofrollers forming a nip through which the fabric. may be passed .in open width, one of thesaidl rollers having ,aplairi surface and the other having a surface comprising resilient ridges .closely. spaced along the length of therolle-r and extend-T ingjroundthe roller, saidridges beingof. narrow width so thatthey are distorted in a direction parallel to the length of .saidrrollenby thepres, sure of the other roller acting directly through. the fabric in saidl'nip, wherein-the resilient ridges are formed by cuttingin a-h'elical lgroover-ofiv section in the surface of a rubber covered roller.

5;" Apparatus for the treatment of "wovenqifabrics,- said apparatuswcomprising, a single; pair" of rollers forming a nip: through ,which. the. fabric. may be passed in open width, .oneof the said; rollers .havinga plain surface and the other hav=- ing. a surface comprisingresilient ridgesclosely.

spaced along the length of the roller andjextend inground the roller, saidridges.b'eingofnarrow.

Widthso that they aredistorted "in .aidirecti'on parallel 'to the length ofI'said roller. bythe pres-.- sure .of the other roller acting directly. through; the fabric in said nip, wherein the resilient ridges are .formed. by'cutting ahelical groove of V- section in the surface .of .a rubber..coveredi"roller;.

the rubber havinga hardness of from '6590"asi measured onthe Short and- Mason rubber-meter..-

6; Apparatus for the. treatment of woven fab ric, said apparatus comprising a pluralit-yl-ofroll ers', .all engaging with .a common plain-surfaced roller, forming, a .pluralityof nips through which. the fabric maybepassed in open; width, each-sofa the said plurality;of .rollers havingasurface'com. prising resilient ridges closelyspacedlalongiithes length of the roller. and-lextending round" the? roller, said ridges being of narrow width so that they are distorted in a direction parallel to the length of said roller by the pressure of said plainsurfaced roller acting through the fabric ineach of said plurality of nips, and means for guiding 5 the fabric between each of said lurality of rollers and said plain-surfaced roller.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6; wherein the resilient ridges are formed'in a surface of rubber having hardness of from 65-90 as measured on 10 i the Short and Mason rubber-meter.

l 8. Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the covered roller. i

9. Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the resilient ridgesare formed by cutting a. helical groove of V-section in the surface of a rubber covered roller, the rubber having a hardness from p 65-90 as measured on theSho rt and Mason rubber-meter. i

ALBERT MELLOR.

RALPH JAMES MANN. 

